TUESDAY Rest

On Tuesday we visited the Pena home, a lovely place that will house future teams.  They are still waiting for their furniture to arrive.  Our team prayed together for Rachel and Roberto, that their home would be filled with God's presence and that it would be a place of rest and refuge for them. We soaked our feet in the cold pool water, and Judy and Marlyn rested before the team departed for the airport and the long flight home.  Mission accomplished!

Mission Accomplished!

Soaking our feet in the pool before the long plane ride home

MONDAY Visits to the School and the Orphanage

MONDAY  began with a trip to the orphanage.  Roberto and Rachel are passionate about helping these children rise out of their difficult circumstances, find Christ, and pursue their divine destiny in Jesus.  Rachel showed us the muddy field of contaminated soil, where the playground and soccer field formerly existed.  The girls were fascinated by Marlyn's french manicure.  We met the orphanage workers and encouraged them in their important work.

Then we went to the school, where Roberto has established a training center in which young men and women can learn a trade and learn how to support themselves.  The four-story building houses a woodworking shop on the ground floor; and Roberto showed us some of the projects the boys are currently making.  The top floors will house young adults attending the school.  Lots of work remains on the building before it is in top operating condition.

Marlyn gives orphanage worker a gift

Judy talks to orphanage girls peeking at her through their dorm window

Judy and Audrey and the children

Orphanage girl likes Marlyn's manicure

Rachel explains the work of the orphanage

Rachel shows the orphanage playground destruction

Rachel shows some of the boys' wood work

Roberto explains the school's mission

Roberto shows the school's wood shop

SUNDAY

The day began with an e-mail from our Senior Pastor, John Hershman, who informed us that our Associate Pastor, Fred Spivey, had died. In our morning devotions we all shared about the many ways Pastor Fred had touched our lives and encouraged us in our faith. We prayed for Bev and Seth and our home congregation, so far away--and for Pastor John as he informed the congregation of our great loss. We prayed for one another and asked the Lord to guide our footsteps throughout the day.

Since the Brazilian church does not have services on Sunday morning, Rachel Pina took us to the Open Market. There we found hundreds of little shops filled with handmade goodies and we shopped for gifts for loved ones at home. We ate lunch at a lovely restaurant in the Market, and celebrated our bargains on the way back to our hotel that afternoon.

On Sunday evening Marlyn spoke at the church from Luke 15. The building was full with both men and women, and most of the women had attended our conference they day before.

Marlyn Speaks on Sunday Night

SUNDAY morning at the Open Market

SATURDAY activities

SATURDAY began with a Leader Brunch at our hotel. Marlyn taught on the theme: "Leading From A Healthy Heart" and spoke on the importance of establishing a sustainable life in the midst of ministry. One of the leaders approached her after the talk to say how she felt that God had spoken directly to her and answered many of her questions during the lesson. She had resigned her music ministry role in her church because she felt so burned out. But the message gave her solutions that she felt she could engage. At the close of the final service on Saturday night, she stepped onto the platform and joined the others in leading the final praise song.

After lunch, we traveled back to the church where we began our day of workshops. Our opening main session, "Broken Hearts" featured Pam West teaching about the healing power of the Holy Spirit and Ginger Parson sharing her testimony of how God had healed the many areas of brokenness in her life. Many women raised their hands for salvation after hearing Ginger's testimony.

Then we provided the first set of workshop electives. Pam West taught "Heart to Heart with Husbands"; Sue and Audrey taught "Heart to Heart in the Workplace"; and Judy and Roberto Pino taught "Heart of Gold" for the young adults. In the second set of workshops, Pam West taught "Staying Young at Heart" for older women; Ann taught "Heart to Heart with Other Women" a lesson on mentoring; and Su taught "Developing A Heart for Communication" and "Hearts In Conflict."

Our closing session featured Judy teaching on "Heavy Hearts" and how to do some inner heart house cleaning by either giving away, throwing away, or keeping the stuff in our hearts.

The day finished with a spaghetti supper provided by the men of the church. As our team ate, the Brazilian people gathered around us to sing a song. We thought Audrey would burst with joy; and we all had tears in our eyes. What a loving and appreciative group of women.

The Brazilian women's choir sings a closing song

Marlyn prays with Luzia

Judy teaches how to pack light to avoid a "Heavy Heart"

Ginger shares her story of how God healed her heart

Ann prays with someone

Women selecting scarves at the end of the service on Saturday evening

Judy and Roberto teach the young adult women workshop

Brazilian Women's Ministry Leaders at the Brunch

Su teaches her workshop

Pam teaches her workshop

Marlyn speaks at the Leadership Brunch

Sue and Audrey teach a workshop

Friday night: The Women's Conference Begins

After beginning our morning with a trip to the local garden center to purchase mums to decorate the church platform, we picked up Jeremy Woltz and some of his guy friends to help us load the "Mama Chair" into the bus to take to the church. Our platform set called for a big, overstuffed chair, side table and lamp, and other items typically surrounding a woman's devotional spot. We tried to fit the huge chair into the luggage area in the outside back compartment of the bus, but it would not fit. So with much effort and many hands, we lifted it through the bus door and successfully wedged it between seats to hold it steady until we could get back to the church. When we finally placed it into the platform set, we realized how perfectly everything came together. The woods, the colors in the rug, the side table--everything looked beautiful together.

The service began a bit late because many women had worked long hours and the traffic here is terrible 24 hours a day. But once we got started, we counted 98 women in the main sanctuary seating area, with a few folks upstairs. The church worship team led us in prayer and praise. The guitarist blew me away! I've never heard anyone as good on the guitar as this humble guy. I reviewed the schedule and introduced our team speakers lined up for Saturday; then we opened with a scripture then I introduced Judy Clough, who entered down the center aisle from the back of the church dressed in bedroom slippers and her pajamas. She plopped down into the "Mama Chair" set and began her talk about the importance of "Hearing From the Heart" every day through a regular devotional time. (Her time with the Lord is first thing in the morning, before her day begins.)

Afterward, I interviewed Ann Tate about how to journal: the process, and the role it plays in prayer and communication with God. At the end of the evening, we invited women to come forward for prayer and our team members stretched across the front of the altar area to pray for them.

We ended the evening with coffee and desert in the church fellowship hall. What a delight to see many familiar faces. These are joyful people who are passionate about their faith. Tomorrow morning (Saturday) we will host a breakfast at our hotel for the women leaders and I will teach on "Leading from the Heart" (How to Have a Sustainable Life in the Midst of Ministry).

We have had a few elevator surprises (stopping and starting unexpectedly) and have laughed so much that our sides hurt. A great missions trip so far. We look forward to a very busy Saturday. -Marlyn

Marlyn interviews Ann about the importance of journaling

Judy teaches about the "Mama Chair"

Friday night opening of Women's Conference

Putting final touches on the stage set for the conference

Shopping for the conference platform set at the end of a busy day

Our team begins on Thursday morning

Su gives a quilt

Luzia gets a quilt

Pam gives a quilt

Marlyn gives a quilt

Judy pins a heart onto young woman's shirt

Lena and Ginger

Entering another house

An entire family gets in the picture

Leaving a home after ministry

Audrey with the children

Audrey praying with a mother and child

Going to Anna's House

Ann gives a quilt

Ann gives a stuffed toy to a boy

Thursday at the Island Community

Armed with bags of food, beautiful quilts made by Joyce Musselman, hearts filled with God's love, and mouths filled with words of encouragement, our team trekked into a poor community on an island that had to be reached by ferry boat. We visited ten homes. In each one we greeted the woman of the household and one of us looked into the desperate eyes of a woman who needed to see the love of God and hear our encouragement. Tears streamed down our faces as we heard them ask for prayer for work, an alcoholic family member, a brother and a husband who were fighting, for health and strength, and so much more. One 16 year old girl told us that her mother was in the hospital with depression and sickness, so she had to take care of the household.

We walked through mud as we weaved our way down crooked paths into little shacks that served as homes for these women and their families. We gave stuffed animals to the little children, and we encouraged the young women to lift their eyes to a divine destiny that God had in store for anyone who embraced Jesus Christ as Lord.

Everywhere we went we prayed. One by one we handed out the colorful quilts, and after several hours we waved goodbye to the people of this little community. We had prayed, "Lord, every day you see a world filled with people we do not see. You hear prayers from desperate hearts. Open our eyes to see what you see. Help us to be courageous today as we serve the poor. May your love and grace shine through." We are asking the Lord to establish a Women's Bible Study group in this community; and we learned that three of the women are born again believers. We encouraged them to begin to pray together on a weekly basis for their neighbors so that they will have wisdom and clarity about how to begin a Bible study there. This experience was the highlight of our trip so far. Rachel Pena interpreted for us and was a wonderful team guide.

At the end of the day we went shopping for the items needed for our platform set for the conference, which will begin on Friday night. With much joy in our hearts, we go to bed tonight thanking the Lord for a wonderful opportunity to meet people whom He loves very much. -Marlyn

Audrey Smith gives her testimony at church on Wednesday

Wednesday night--team with Pastor and his wife

Marlyn teaching Wednesday night

Photo of Pam and nuts at market

Wednesday

We had a fabulous day on Wednesday, though it started with a downpour of rain that altered our plans to visit the island poor community. Roberto took us to the wholesale market, where we tasted a variety of unique fruits. Pam West won a bag of free nuts. Audrey purchased some spices. The skies cleared and later we traveled by bus to the Assemblies of God church at Sao Caetano, where we ministered in their Wednesday night service. I taught about Abigail, an Old Testament woman of faith who rose above difficult circumstances to save her household from certain death. Audrey Smith gave her testimony, and the congregation interrupted her with applause several times during her talk in praise to God for His faithfulness in her life. After the service we presented Diane, the pastor's wife, with a basket of kitchen goods. Pam West prayed with one of the women, and we exchanged scarves with the women of the church. Everyone came home with full hearts. Thursday we will travel to the island community to deliver the quilts and minister to the women one-on-one. Thanks for your prayers. God is at work through us.